The films in this block reveal an inability to connect, whether as a result of mistranslation, deception, or simply a figure of speech taken a bit too literally. Swerving between worlds of estrangement and eruptions of comedy, this block sees languages, perspectives, and even time periods collide in clashes of cultures and beliefs. It asks us: what is lost in the crossfires of speech?
Anna
Ukraine (15min), Dir: Dekel Berenson
Living in war-torn Eastern Ukraine, Anna is an aging single mother who is desperate for a change. Lured by a radio advertisement, she goes to party with a group of American men who are touring the country, searching for love.
Konusma (Don’t Talk)
Turkey (8min), Dir: Volkan Girgin
Throughout the movie, we will watch a life of a character whose face will never be seen. We will look on the world from his eyes and will witness the oppression he has experienced.
He’s only two years old. His excited parents forces him to communicate by saying ‘Talk’. When he’s six, he becomes chatterbox. But this time her parents are pressing him for ‘Don’t talk’.
The dramatic moments that follow us throughout the film continues in the form of ‘talk or don’t talk’. Our hero can’t stand this pressure any longer and he’s detached from life.
Outside The Glasshouse
United Kingdom (16min), Dir: Paul Brooking
Can anything halt the downward spiral of a middle-aged man facing divorce, redundancy and rejection?
Dinah
United Kingdom (6min), Dir: Pierre Niyongira
Dinah Black, a runaway slave from 1687, and Michael, an African exchange Uni student, collide in present-day Bristol, a city being forced to re-address its historical legacy post the pulling down of the Colston statue removal.
Faleminderit
Luxembourg (13min), Dir: Nicolas Neuhold
In 1921, a Luxembourgish cartographer visited Albania, preparing the border for the newly independent country. He went on to take part in the chaotic Paris conference of Ambassadors, where an observation he made would change the outcome of the diplomatic gathering. Due to world-wide screening rights, this film may be rescheduled or geo-blocked.
Fargate
United Kingdom (18min), Dir: Sally Cancello
Comedy. Fargate is a story about two women on a mission. One is Kelsey, a single mother to a baby boy, who needs to deal with her overdraft payments at the bank. The other is Maureen, Kelsey’s mother, who believes her daughter is about to carry out a bank robbery. Maureen enlists the help of family members to track down Kelsey and the adventure begins.
This block will play on Sunday 29th August at 4.30pm (GMT+1). The block will play for approximately 76 minutes and be followed by a Q&A with any of the filmmakers who are in attendance. View our 2021 programme here.
Oxford Shorts 
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